Thanks for the info> OK from what I have seen from pictures (since our parts kits are on the way and I have not seen an actual trunnion yet) the Pictures showed me areas cut out in the trunion for the rivets so the barrel clears the rivets. Correct me if I am wrong but what I am thinking is grinding down the rivet head so it is just below flush with the cut out area of the trunnion so the barrel can be put in with out being impeded. Make my tool to hold the rivet head in place. Then set up tool and hammer (TAP) the other end of the rivet to get it started and finish it off with the rivet tools to make a head on them. My friend bought some bulk boxes of USA made rivets. ( Yea I know they are not metric) We will use the right size drills to take care of that issue. That way we got some extra rivets to practice with to get good formed rivets before we do the build.

I got those rivets at ace hardware. The bolt cutter rivet tool is easy to make and well worth the effort. But, if you're going this route: cut the rivet heads to fit into the cutouts; dremmel out enough of the center of the heads for the barrel to fit in; put your receiver on and the rivets, press in the barrel; set the rivets; shoot, enjoy. I did turn down a bar so that it was a slip fit to make sure the rivet heads would clear. Here's a pic of the cutouts that are typical on non-bulged trunions. In the top picture, the slot above the flashlite is for the barrel pin. The front cutouts run top to bottem, and the rear ones run front to back. You can see the rear cutout and rivet hole in the top pic.

I don't know what size rivets you bought but do not start drilling your rivet holes bigger. the trunion is worth over $100 an if you screw with the holes in this backward riveting scheme an it don't work your screwed.
There are pleanty of bulk rivets that will fit . metric is not a issue here. you stated you don't have the kits so how are you determining rivet size?

If your kits have a barrel stub you can use it to try your back ward rivet set idea.
it may work but there likely going to be ugley as your going to be seeing the part you formed . unless your rivet heads are tightly against your insert there going to still be off the trunion when your done your still going to need to trim the inside.

You would be just as well to drive them in from the out side onto the barrel. it will work an you don't have to form a rivet head . an this is not a good suggestion its just better than what I think your trying .

you guys are sure intent on going back to 1985 n reinventing the whell that every one quit using 20 years ago.

you talking to some of the sharpest builders on the net an disregarding pretty any good advice given.

im sure you can stick in the rivets shove in a bar beat the out sides down an from a head but its not the best or easiest way to build a AK

OK they are US made rivets maybe they will fit. If not then I will buy the rivet kit. I did not buy them my friend did. I was just guessing they were bigger since they were US Rivets. I maybe trying to figure out things before we get the parts to see what we need to do. I have a tool figured out to keep the rivets tight against the trunnion. If the rivet head is flattened so it is below flush and is held tightly against the trunnion why would it not work? I am sure others have built these guns with no rivet tool like a bolt cutter or a jig to fit with a press. There was a article recently in Shotgun news that explained what rivet sizes the guy used. I have not read the article yet so I will know more when I do. Buying the right rivet size is not an issue for me if that is what it takes. So what size is the right size rivet?

If the rivet head is flattened so it is below flush and is held tightly against the trunnion why would it not work?

iM NOT SAYING IT WONT WORK iM SAYING ALL THE BENDING OF THE RIVET WILL BE ON THE OUT ISDE OF THE GUN AN WILL SHOW AN THE LIKLEYHOOD OF YOU GETTING 6 PERFECT RIVETS WITH A RIVET SET ARE SLIM . AN UNLESS YOUR TOOL IS LODING THEM SUPER TIGHT TO THE TRUNION THERE NOT GOING TO BE SET TIGHT .

iD PAY LESS ATTTENTION TO SHOT GUNNEWS AN MORE TO HOW ITS DONE BUY GUYS WHO DO THIS EVERY DAY WITH GOOD RESULTS. ITS GREAT TO THINK OUT SIDE THE BOX BUT 99.999% OF THE STUFF ON THESE HAS NOW BEEN FIGURED OUT TO WERE ITS FOOL PROOF AN MUCH EASIER .

THERE ARE THREADS HERE OIN GETTINGHTE RIGHT RIVETS IN BULK THERE ARE THREADS HER ON MAKING THE RIGHT TOOLS. DO A SEARCH LOOK THROUUGH THE LIBRARY . THOUSNADS OF GUNS HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY BUILT THIS WAY.

Yep; Matthews is a slimeball hack who steals ideas from guys on the forums & writes that he came up with them.
If the rivits you bought don't seem right, PM me & I'll send you some that I use for free.
You might consider buying the great instruction disc that totenkoph sells here. Good stufff from someone who really knows what he's doing.
There are NO BETTER builders that what you have here at Gunco!! These guys pioneered AK building & are standing by to help you build it right.

Brad

" Save a tree...........Eat A Beaver!"

I seldom talk to liberals.............................. But when I do, I order fries............

I sold the set I made probably at least 5 years ago,which was two computers ago so I can't find a pic. They only differed from hcpookies design by using a 5/16" thick by 3/4" square piece with the rivit divot welded to the anvil jaw which allowed me to modify everything and just weld it in place once it was centered. It probably took me 30 minutes from start to finish to make them. HCPookie deserves a halo above his name for figuring these out.